Rashid al-Kankohi

Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi (1244–1323 AH / 1828–1905 CE) was an Indian Hanafi jurist, hadith scholar, and Sufi master of the Chishti order, known for his dictations on hadith compiled as al-Kawkab al-Durri 'ala Jami' al-Tirmidhi Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bah…+1.

Lineage and Early Life

His full lineage is Rashid Ahmad ibn Hidayat Ahmad ibn Pir Bakhsh ibn Ghulam Hasan ibn Ghulam Ali ibn Ali Akbar ibn al-Qadi Muhammad Aslam al-Ansari al-Rampuri al-Gangohi, tracing his ancestry back to the Companion Abu Ayyub al-Ansari Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bah…+1. He was born on 6 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1244 AH (with another report citing 1242 AH) in the town of Gangoh in the district of Saharanpur, at the home of his maternal grandfather, and grew up among his maternal relatives Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bah…+1. His family originated from Rampur, a village in Saharanpur Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bah….

He began his primary education in Karnal, read Persian treatises with his maternal uncle Muhammad Taqi, and studied introductory Arabic grammar and morphology with Mawlawi Muhammad Bakhsh al-Rampuri Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bah…+1.

Education and Teachers

He traveled to Delhi to pursue advanced studies, where he studied rational and Islamic sciences under Mamluk al-Ali al-Nanawtawi and Mufti Sadr al-Din al-Dihlawi al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…. He studied hadith under Shah Abd al-Ghani al-Mujaddidi and Ahmad Ali al-Saharanpuri Sahih al-Bukhari - bi Has…+1. During his time in Delhi, he formed a lifelong companionship with Muhammad Qasim al-Nanawtawi al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…. Both of them pledged spiritual allegiance (bay'ah) in Sufism to Imdadullah al-Makki, from whom they received authorization (ijazah) to guide spiritual disciples al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar….

Anti-Colonial Struggle and Career

During the uprising against British colonial rule in India in 1273 AH (1857 CE), al-Gangohi took part in the resistance alongside his peers, leading to his arrest and imprisonment by the British authorities for six months al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…+1.

Following his release, he settled in Gangoh and devoted himself to teaching, issuing legal verdicts (fatawa), and spiritual instruction al-Alam lil-Zirikli. He performed the pilgrimage to Mecca three times al-Kawkab al-Durri ala Ja…+1. Prior to his third journey to the Hijaz, he taught across multiple disciplines including jurisprudence, legal theory, theology, hadith, and Quranic exegesis; upon his final return, he dedicated his teaching exclusively to the Six Books of Hadith within a one-year cycle, beginning with Jami' al-Tirmidhi to establish textual analysis, resolve apparent contradictions, and substantiate the positions of the Hanafi school al-Kawkab al-Durri ala Ja….

His lectures and dictations on hadith were compiled by his student Muhammad Yahya al-Kandhlawi into al-Kawkab al-Durri 'ala Jami' al-Tirmidhi al-Kawkab al-Durri ala Ja…. He also authored treatises in spiritual guidance and creed, such as Imdad al-Suluk and Hidayat al-Shi'ah al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…+1.

Students

A large number of scholars studied under him or received spiritual authorization through his guidance. Among his prominent students and disciples were Khalil Ahmad al-Saharanpuri, Husayn Ahmad al-Madani, Mahmud Hasan al-Deobandi (who studied the majority of Sunan Abi Dawud under him), Fakhr al-Hasan al-Gangohi, Sayf al-Rahman al-Durrani, and Mazhar al-Nanawtawi al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…+5.

Late Life and Death

In his later years, al-Gangohi lost his eyesight and withdrew to focus on worship and remembrance until his death in Gangoh in 1323 AH (1905 CE) al-Abwab wa al-Tarajim li…+1.